Fallout 4: The Cancer
by RentonReaver
Summary: Renton (not the Sole Survivor) and Piper Wright search the Commonwealth looking for Renton's twin brother who mysteriously vanished during broad daylight one sunny afternoon. Piper believes this missing persons story that will put Publick Occurrences on the map. Will they find what they're looking for or succumb to The Cancer?
1. Chapter 1

The hip area of a shadowy figure slammed against the pre-war stove causing the uncomfortable sound of grinding amongst the scuffing and groaning noises being made by the figures physically debating who will be the waste's next victim.

Renton took his eyes off of the raider scum for a millisecond to see Piper face down on the partially rotten wood floor. This raider scum snuck up on them and knocked Piper unconscious in an attempt to bring valuables back to his encampment nearby. Renton was going to have to fight this battle alone, and that fact terrified him to no end. He was always used to having Piper cover his six and in the wasteland that was the difference between survival and having your head stuck on a spike in the middle of Cambridge. Renton had always thought about what would happen if a band of raiders or a swarm of feral ghouls caught Piper. As much as they would never want that, the odds were always against them.

The raider Renton was battling with looked off to his right. Renton knew this couldn't be a good sign. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up with paranoia as he waited having a switchblade dug in the back of his neck, or worse.

"Hey, take the girl! I'll take care of this piece of shit!" The raider commanded to his comrade who wore the same type of gear as the one barking orders.

Without a reply the second raider did as she was told. Her bulky build made it easy for her to sling Piper over her shoulder fireman style before retreating. Renton had run out of time.

The remaining raider heavily retaliated, pushing Renton into a pre-war refrigerator causing the door to slam shut and reopen. Renton released the rifle from his tight grip and kicked the raider towards the pre-war stove directly across. When the raider's hip hit the stove once again he quickly began shooting in Renton's direction realizing he had won the war. Renton then took shelter in the pre-war refrigerator and luckily wasn't hit in the process. Renton counted the seconds it would take for the frag mine he planted in the raider's back pocket to explode simultaneously hoping the raider didn't take any steps closer.

The rifle clicks empty and the beeps from the mine indicate that the true victor was Renton.

"Oh fu-"

The loud bang that followed echoed in Renton's brain for a short time after he reappeared from his life saving container. It was interesting to see that a body of solid form could transform into something next to nothing. Renton grabbed the rifle that was blown under a nearby kitchen table, replaced the empty clip, pulled the bolt handle back, locking in a round and ran after Piper's abductor.

Outside was open, dark and dangerous. Rusty cars scattered the broken concrete and decimated guardrails. Renton scanned his surroundings in a complete three-sixty motion before wiping the sweat from his brow and repeated the process once again, this time he saw an uneven figure in the not to far distance bobbing up and down. He was sure he found Piper, and the next source of food for passing yao guais'.

Renton pursued the kidnapping raider, fear kept the knot in his throat while rage kept him focused and breathing properly.

The raider was no more than fifty yards away at this point. Renton readied the rifle and maintained a steady flow of air entering and leaving his lungs for optimum steadiness. He pulled the trigger once and removed the gun from his face. The figure he sought after went directly to the dirt. Keeping his wits about him, Renton scanned the area to make sure the sound didn't attract immediate attention, and cautiously proceeded to his destination.

Piper was sprawled on the stiff ground, still unconscious, but safe for the time being. The female raider crawled six feet away or so from Piper's body, and set her back against a large boulder. Upon Renton's arrival he could see the single shot blew out her right kneecap. Blood oozed from the damage, it didn't only stain the ground, but the air as well.

"Please don't kill me!" She cried. "I have a daughter, she's only 7, please don't take her mother away from her!" She continued, tears visibly forming in her eyes. "If it's caps you want then here. One hundred caps right here if you just let me go back to my daughter. Please?" She sobbed as her bottom lip quivered and her tears splashed against her metal chest piece.

Renton couldn't remember the last time someone begged for his or her life, especially a raider. She very well could have a daughter but it been too late for her to survive a wound like this given there was no settlement in immediate sight. Renton kneeled down to eye level with her. She placed the purse of caps to her right and reached out to Renton with a bloodied hand. He responded in kind. She knew she wasn't going to make it.

"Not everyone has what it takes to be a monster." Renton says to her calmly, ending with a small smile.

She may have been a raider, but he wasn't talking to the woman with a past of sin; Renton was talking to the side that kept her humanity, one that still held a child like fear of death. It was that fear that kept her human and when you lost that, you become a monster.

The female's grip became weak. Her hand slid from Renton's and landed peacefully by her side. Renton closed her eyelids with his clean left hand, and looked at the purse of caps she left behind. Caps were always useful and they were necessary for survival but he didn't want them.

Renton stood up and turned to his right to notice that Piper was watching from where she once laid. She walked over to him. His head was down and the rifle loosely gripped in the same hand used to pull the trigger.

"Are you okay, Ren?" She asked softly.

Renton shook his head silently as tears of his own began to touch down on the lenses of his glasses. Piper hugged him tightly. Renton dropped the rifle and began to sob into Piper's shoulders.

The next morning two raiders from the same encampment find the body of the female comrade in the same position she passed in.

"Hey, what's this?" The skinny raider asked the muscular one. He picked up a note that was attached to the caps purse.

"What does it say?" The muscular raider asked looking over the skinny one's shoulder.

"For my daughter." The skinny raider replied.

"She has a daughter?" Asked the muscular raider.

"Yeah she does. I think she's ten or something. I think she lives in Diamond City." The skinny one replied.

"Oh. Well if we go there we can bring back about eight cases of vodka to the camp before sundown." The muscular one said.

"You mean five cases for camp and we split the three between us, finder's fee and all." The skinny one suggested.

"Yeah, that's even better. Let's get a move on then." The muscular raider said.


	2. Chapter 2

Piper woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of movement in the next room of the abandoned shack Renton and her were occupying for the night. The mattress at the other end of the cozy room was empty; she was sure that Renton was the cause of the light commotion. She rose to her feet and let out a sudden yawn, her breath left a bad taste in her mouth, she should've brushed last night but was feeling dizzy, a side effect of the trauma she suffered from the raider ambush hours before. Being as quiet as she could be, Piper walked into the next room to see Renton on his Pip-Boy listening to a holotape at a very low volume. His eyelids looked heavy and his milk chocolate face was covered in marks of dirt.

Renton looked up to see Piper with a concerned look on her pale face; still suffering from the scuffle no doubt. He turned off the holotape and sat back in the battered, ocean blue kitchen chair, the cushion pushing through the hole in the plastic cover.

"Hey Ren, you still up? She asked with concern in her tone as she approached him and sat on an identical chair across the table.

"I can't sleep. I just like playing it to hear his voice." Renton replied sounding monotone and staring deeply into the floor in front of him.

"I see." Piper responded, mimicking his deep stare at the floor. "Listen, we've only been traveling together for about three weeks now, but I feel like I can trust you with what I'm about to tell you." Piper said making eye contact with Renton's dark colored irises. "I have a little sister named Nat, who lives with me in Diamond City. I didn't know if you were someone I could trust with that kind of information at first since, you know, a nosey reporter like me has enemies." She said, ending her sentence with a guilty chuckle.

"I guess I can understand why you didn't tell me." Renton replied.

"Yeah, and the reason I'm bringing this up is because it's been a while since I've seen her so I was wondering if we could go back to Diamond City for a day or two to check up on her and see how things are with my newspaper?" Piper asked. "I mean, I know your mission is important to you and you don't have to come with me, but she's all I have left." She continued while looking at the floor as if she was ashamed to ask.

"Okay. We'll head out for Diamond City first thing tomorrow. We could use a clean shower and ammo while we're there." Renton said with a faint smile, the guilt of earlier was still clinging to his heart.

"Thanks Ren, I really appreciate it." Piper said with an excitement in her tone. "Well, we have quite the trek tomorrow, so I'm going to go back to sleep. You should get some rest too Ren." Piper suggested.

"I will in a bit." Renton said.

"Okay. Goodnight Ren." Piper said, turning back towards the bedroom.

"Piper, you know, I-I just want you to know that I appreciate you coming along with me and that I don't want you to judge me based on what happened earlier. I had to-"

"You don't have to justify what you did, not to me anyway." Piper interrupted, and turned to face Renton again. "If it wasn't for you doing what you did, you probably would've had to break me out from a raider camp, and I wouldn't want you to have to do that, not for me anyway. So, as weird as it sounds to hear, I appreciate it Ren, thank you." Piper said with a sincere closed lipped smile.

"You're welcome." Renton replied.

Diamond City looked like nothing Renton had ever seen. From the top of the large set of stair he could get a good feel of how Diamond City was structured. The smell of noodles filled his nose as Piper escorted him closer to the center of town. The sight of armed guards made Diamond City feel safe from any outside threat, that comforted him, but the stares he was receiving balanced out the safety with anxiousness.

Piper stopped in front of a rather small house on the left side of the city's rigid ramp. 'Publick Occurrences' the sign above the abode read.

"Well, this is where I live. Contrary to how it looks, it's better than wrapping yourself in a plastic bag. Piper joked, her hands placed on her hips and gazing up with a proud look on her face.

"I'll take my chances with the bag." Renton joked with a faint smile.

"Hey now, I would actually pay to see that." Piper jested back.

"You would pay to see me in nothing but a plastic bag?" Renton quipped.

"What? No! I didn't say that!" Piper replied, her face turned rosy red.

"I know, but since the topic came up, would you like to?" Renton asked with a straight face.

"Jeez Ren, are you okay in the head?" Piper asked, still red.

"Anyway, it looks too small to run a newspaper." Renton replied looking back at Piper, completely changing the subject. "How many readers do you have?" Renton asked.

"You mean like, now, or, ever?" Piper inquired, still a little confused from the sudden change.

"Now." Renton replied.

"Umm, I think six, maybe." Piper stated.

"And ever?" Renton asked.

"Heh, about the same." Piper replied.

"I see." Renton said looking back at the ragged sign.

Piper opened the rickety door, which squeaked throughout the motion while Renton followed along a few paces behind. He wasn't expecting to see a little girl whom looked like a younger Piper, working the press machine in the center of the room.

"Hey Nat!" Piper said cheerfully.

"Hey Piper!" Nat exclaimed, her response equally as cheerful.

Piper walked over to Nat and gave her a tight embrace. Renton stared at the two of them intently. He remembered how this meeting would have never taken place if he didn't snipe the leg of that raider who attempted to kidnap Piper. A sudden flash of the female raider's face interrupted Renton's thoughts. The blood oozing from her wound, the scared look in her eyes, her tears, and the image of her holding hands with her daughter, an image Renton had to improvise because he didn't know what her daughter looked like.

"Ren, this is Nat, my baby sister." Piper said, turning to Renton with a wide smile.

"Yeah, I doubt a baby could run the newspaper singlehandedly while you're out." Nat said sarcastically.

"Renton? Renton are you okay?" Piper questioned.

Renton snapped out of his mesmerizing flashback.

"I'm okay Piper, and hi Nat. It's nice to meet you." Renton said wiping his forehead clear of perspiration.

"Hi. So, is he your boyfriend?" Nat asked curiously.

"What? No! What would give you the idea?" Piper inquired. Her face returned to a rosy red hue.

"Piper you're blushing! You must have a crush on him." Nat concluded.

"I-uhh, I-umm, I'm not blushing. You must've been out in the sun too long, you're starting to see things Nat." Piper said, looking back at Renton to make sure he wasn't getting the wrong idea about what Nat said.

"Yeah, she's seeing things like I'm seeing things." Renton said with a genuine smile, confirming that he and Nat saw the same fiery cheeks.

"Umm, you didn't go out and try to investigate stories did you?" Piper asked with a more serious tone, trying to change the subject.

"I did some." Nat admitted, her head tilted away from Piper and braced for a scolding.

"Nat, what did I tell you about doing that when I'm away? Something bad could've happened to you, and then what?" Piper reprimanded.

"But Piper, I actually found something you might want to hear." Nat tried to explain.

"I don't care what it is Nat, I don't want you putting yourself in dan-"

"Mayor McDonough is a synth!" Nat interrupted.

"What did you say?" Piper asked in astonishment, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

"Yesterday night I was out walking around and I overheard Danny Sullivan saying he was going to talk to the mayor about something troubling him. I followed him to the mayor's office and while I was in hiding I saw Mayor McDonough shoot Danny Sullivan in the chest twice before going back into his office and before he closed his door I could see a synth standing in his office. He had yellow glowing eyes, and his skin was paper white, and half of his face was missing!" Nat explained frantically.

"What's a synth?" Renton asked.

"Synths are robots that look and act exactly like humans. They're created by the Institute." Piper informed Renton, turning to face him.

"And they are?" Renton further questioned, crossing his arms.

"The Institute is the biggest myth in the Commonwealth, and the most feared. They kidnap people from the shadows and no one knows where or who they are. They're also responsible for creating synths." Piper stated.

"I see, maybe they have something to do with my brother." Renton said.

"It's possible, but like I said, no one knows who they are or where they are so finding that out might prove to be a little difficult." Piper said turning her attention back to Nat. "Did anyone see you Nat?" Piper asked, putting both hands on Nat's shoulders.

"I don't think so, I was hiding pretty good, but the synth that was with Mayor McDonough did look in my direction. He didn't chase after me or anything though so I think I got away without them noticing me." Nat assured Piper.

"Hey Nat...Where are your goggles?" Piper asked in a worrisome manner, looking around their abode, hoping that they were just misplaced on the floor.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to find them since last...night." Nat concluded, her eyes widened to match her older sister's. Nat had realized that she might have lost them around Mayor McDonough's office.

A sudden and hard knock was heard at the door. Everyone stood completely still for what felt like several minutes, but a moment later a second set of knocks echoed throughout the house. Piper rushed Nat behind a small cinderblock wall that blocked a cooking fire from the rest of the house. Piper walked over to the door and Renton followed next to her hoping that he was a small comfort to her. Piper opened the door and there stood the devil himself dressed in a nicely pressed brown blazer with a yellow rose in his left breast pocket, matching hat, pants and tie, white collared shirt, and a checkered green vest. He had a grin on his face and in his extended right hand were Nat's pink goggles.


End file.
